Method and apparatus for applying jackets to covers of books or the like

ABSTRACT

Books to be jacketed are fed in open position and in a first direction to an assembly station where the covers of a freshly arrived book enter between the central panel and the flaps of a prefabricated jacket which is transported to the assembly station in a second direction counter to the first direction. The feed of books is interrupted in response to an interruption of the transport of jackets, or vice versa, and each book is inspected prior to being fed to the assembly station in order to determine whether or not the end papers adhere to the respective covers. The jackets are prefabricated from rectangular blanks which are withdrawn from a stack and are folded by pairs of coacting mechanical folding devices at least one of which is heated to provide each jacket with permanent creases in regions where the flaps adhere to the central panel. Jacketed books are closed and descend into a channel or directly onto a conveyor from which they can be removed by hand for stacking at one or both sides of the assembly station.

United States Patent 1 1 Schuler et a1.

[ Dec. 2, 1975 1 1 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING JACKETS TO COVERS OF BOOKS OR THE LIKE 175] Inventors: Emil H. Schuler, Riverdale; Robert C. Schuler, Woodcliff Lake; Howard N. Lathey, Tappan, all of NJ.

[73] Assignee: Schuler Brothers lnc., Bergenfeld,

22 Filed: June 28, 1974 211 Appl. No.: 484,323

[52] US. Cl. ll/l R; 11/3 [51] Int. C1. B42C 15/00 [58] Field of Search 11/1 R, 3, 4

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,640,207 6/1953 Deflorez ct a1. 1 1/1 R 2,799,029 7/1957 Schramm .t ll/l R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 2,008,135 2/1970 Germany ll/l R Primary lz.i'aminerLawrence Charles Attorney, Agent. or Firm-Michael S. Striker [57] ABSTRACT Books to be jacketed are fed in open position and in a first direction to an assembly station where the covers of a freshly arrived book enter between the central panel and the flaps of a prefabricated jacket which is transported to the assembly station in a second direction counter to the first direction. The feed of books is interrupted in response to an interruption of the transport of jackets, or vice versa, and each book is inspected prior to being fed to the assembly station in order to determine whether or not the end papers adhere to the respective covers. The jackets are prefabricated from rectangular blanks which are withdrawn from a stack and are folded by pairs of coacting mechanical folding devices at least one of which is heated to provide each jacket with permanent creases in regions where the flaps adhere to the central panel. .lacketed books are closed and descend into a channel or directly onto a conveyor from which they can be removed by hand for stacking at one or both sides of the assembly station.

36 Claims, 22 Drawing Figures Sheet 1 of 16 m wPDIo owwu 040m 0mm. owwm xOom xOOm zoom hmxudq ownjou huxos hmxui U.S. Patent Dec. 2, 1975 5i H 1 Q U.S. Patent I Dec. 2, 1975 Sheet2 of 16 3,922,743

Sheet 3 of 16 3,922,743

US. Patent Dec. 2, 1975 k wuxv TR mm mm US. Patent Dec.2, 1975 Sheet40f 16 3,922,743

Sheet 5 of 16 VII" Sheet 6 of 16 3,922,743

US. Patent Dec. 2, 1975 US. Patent Dec.2, 1975 SheetSof 16 3,922,743

n ml llll IINH FIG. /0

U.S. Patant Dec.2, 1975 Sheet90f 16 3,922,743

mm m. d

( A l'h V/ A Sheet 10 of 16 3,922,743

U.S. Patent Dec. 2, 1975 FIG. /4

A750 .1 A7123 p3/ 11724 1 m l A725 p576 rz 1 US. Patent 1560.2, 1975 Sheet 12 of 16 3,922,743

US. Patent Dec.2, 1975 Sheet 15 0f 16 3,922,743

FIG. 16

U.S l atent Dec. 2, 1975 Sheet 16 0f16 3,922,743

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING JACKETS TO COVERS OF BOOKS OR THE LIKE BACKGROUND or THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for applying jackets to books, brochures, catalogs or the like, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for automatic application of jackets to commodities generally known as or resembling books and having two hard or soft outer covers and a number of leaves or sheets disposed between and riveted, pasted or otherwise secured to the covers.

German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2,008,135 discloses a method and apparatus for automatic application of jackets to books. The books are fed seriatim to a position above a jacket which is provided with two partially folded flaps. One cover of a book which is held in such position is then opened by means of suction cups and the respective flap is folded thereover. In the next step, the book is inverted to expose the other cover and the latter is opened by suction cups to allow for folding of the other flap before the other cover is closed.

A drawback of such method and apparatus is that the system for controlling the deformation of successive jacket blanks, the transport and manipulation of jackets, as well as the transport and manipulation of books are too complex and prone to malfunction, and that the conversion from jacketing of one type or size of books to jacketing of another type or size of books consumes too much time and necessitates several complex adjustments. Still further, the jacketing operation must be preceded by an inspection of books which normally takes place at a location remote from the jacketing apparatus. The inspection involves determining whether or not the free end papers of a book adhere to papers which overlie the inner sides of the covers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved apparatus for applying jackets to books in such a way that the application of jackets is incidental to another operation which is to be performed before the books are ready for shipment to stores, schools, libraries or other institutions.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus wherein the books can be jacketed at the same rate at which they pass the final inspection including a determination whether or not the end papers adhere to the respective covers.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can be rapidly converted for jacketing of differently dimensioned books and which is simpler, more compact, more reliable and more versatile than heretofore known apparatus.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an apparatus whose jacketing operation is reproducible with a high degree of accuracy and which can furnish jacketed books in an optimum position or orientation for further processing, such as the introduction of jacketed books into boxes or other types of receptacles.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved method of manipulating jackets prior to, during and subsequent to folding around the covers of books.

A further object of the invention is to provide a book jacketing method which can be practiced substantially simultaneously with the customary final inspection of 2 books for determining the condition of their end papers.

The method of the present invention involves the application of jackets to covers of books or similar commodities (hereinafter called books), and comprises the steps of converting successive preferably rectangular sheet-like blanks into jackets each including a central panel and two flaps which at least partially overlap the panel, moving successive jackets to an assembly station along a first path, opening successive books so that their covers are spaced apart from the leaves, moving the thus opened books to the assembly station along a second path so that portions of the covers of a book enter between the panel and the flaps of a jacket at the assembly station, and closing the thus jacketed book so that the flaps of the respective jacket are located between the covers and the leaves of the closed book.

The jackets which are moved along the first path preferably advance counter to the direction of movement of books along the second path.

The method may further comprise the steps of inspecting each book immediately prior to entry into the second path, and such inspecting step may comprise determining whether or not the end papers which flank the leaves adhere to the respective covers and introducing into the second path only those books wherein the end papers do not adhere to the covers.

The first moving step preferably includes maintaining the panels of successive jackets in a substantially horizontal plane during travel along the first path, and the second moving step preferably comprises maintaining the covers of successive books in a substantially horizontal plane during travel along the second path.

The method may further comprise the step of moving jacketed books along a third path, and such step preferably includes maintaining the jacketed books in a substantially vertical plane, at least during the interval immediately following the removal from the assembly station.

The step of converting blanks into jackets preferably comprises heating the blanks in regions where the flaps adhere to the respective central panels, especially if one or both sides of each blank are coated with a film of thermoplastic synthetic plastic material. Such heating results in the formation of permanent creases in the regions where the flaps adhere to the respective central panels.

The method preferably further comprises the steps of monitoring the one and/or the other path for the presence of jackets and/or books therein, and interrupting the movement of books or jackets along the respective path in response to detected absence of jackets or books.

The flaps are preferably maintained in a predetermined orientation with respect to the corresponding central panels at the assembly station so as to insure that the covers of an opened book can find their way into the spaces between the flaps and the panel of a jacket which is to be assembled with such book.

A jacketed book is preferably moved from the assembly station to a lower level and is preferably held in a vertical plane during such movement. The movement to a lower level is preferably followed by a sidewise movement of the jacketed book or by tilting of the book into a substantially horizontal plane. The evacuation of a jacketed book from the assembly station is preferably accompanied, preceded or followed by the step of aligning the jacket with the respective book so that the panel of the jacket fully overlaps, conceals and hence protects the respective covers. This can be achieved by causing the leading edges of the covers to abut against a suitable stop immediately upon evacuation from the assembly station or by causing the jacketed books to vibrate upon evacuation from the assembly station so as to shift the covers relative to the jacket and/or vice versa.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved jacketing apparatus itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional features and advantages thereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of certain specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic plan view of a first jacketing apparatus which embodies the invention;

FIG. 1a is a perspective view showing successive stages of making a jacket and the assembly of such jacket with a book;

FIG. 2 is a schematic elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view substantially as seen in the direction of arrows from the line III-III of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view as seen in the direction of arrows from the line IV-IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a detail in FIG. 3, showing one of two mobile blank folding members in an idle position;

FIG. 6 shows the structure of FIG. 5 but with the one folding member in an intermediate position;

FIG. 7 shows the structure of FIG. 5 or 6 but with the one folding member in an operative position;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view as seen in the direction of arrows from the line VIIIVIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view as seen in the direction of arrows from the line IX-IX of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view as seen in the direction of arrows from the line X-X of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 illustrates the structure of FIG. 10 but with the closing arms for book covers in operative positions;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view as seen in the direction of arrows from the line XIIXII of FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a control panel in the apparatus of FIGS. 1 to 12;

FIGS. 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 illustrate the details of the control circuit in the apparatus of FIGS. 1 to 12;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a portion of a second apparatus;

FIG. 20 is an end elevational view of a vibrating trough in the apparatus of FIG. 19; and

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a portion of a third apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first jacketing apparatus which comprises several units serving to manipulate successive jackets 15 and books 25 in a manner which will be briefly outlined by referring simultaneously to FIG. 1A. The jackets 15 are obtained in response to deformation of rectangular blanks or sheets 16 consisting of paper or other suitable material. The blanks 16 form a stack 17 (FIG. 2) which is supported by a platform 35 of the jacketing apparatus. The platform 35 is mounted at one end of a frame 36 and is movable up and down.

The first step in deforming a blank 16 includes providing it with two flaps 18, 19 which partially overlap one side of the central portion or panel 20 of the respective blank. The panel 20 remains flat or substantially flat while the thus obtained jacket 15 moves edgewise toward the other end of the frame 36 so as to be automatically assembled with a book 25 which, at that time, is moved in a direction toward the stack 17 with its covers 26, 27 located in a common plane and with its leaves or sheets 24 located in planes which are normal or substantially normal to the common plane of the covers 26, 27. As a freshly formed jacket 15 advances in the direction indicated by an arrow 37, the corresponding book 25 advances in the direction indicated by an arrow 137 whereby the outer portions of the covers 26, 27 automatically enter the spaces between the flaps 18, 19 and the central panel 20 before the apparatus begins to pivot the covers toward each other so that the flaps are ultimately confined between the covers and the respective free end papers 28, 29. The closed book 25, with the jacket 15 thereon, is thereupon caused to move downwardly by sliding along an inclined chute 38 whereby the front edges of its covers strike against a stop 39 which shifts the jacket 15 (if necessary) so that the front edge of the jacket is flush with the adjacent edges of the covers. The properly jacketed books is then ready for manual or automatic transfer into storage or into a receptacle, e.g., into a crate, box or the like.

The books 25 are inspected before they reach the upper stretch of a first belt conveyor 40 which travels below two upright inner guides 41, 42 for the sheets 24 and free end papers 28, 29. When the sheets 24 and end papers 28, 29 enter the gap between the inner guides 41, 42, the covers 26, 27 (which lie flat on the upper stretch of the belt conveyor 40) travel below the guides 41, 42 and between two outer guides 43, 44 which are adjustable along a transversely extending horizontal rod or bar 45 so that the width of the space between the guides 43, 44 slightly exceeds the width of an open book 25. The inner guides 41, 42 are adjustable along a similar transversely extending rod or bar 46. The inner guides 41, 42 respectively carry idler rollers or wheels 47, 48 which roll along the inner sides of open covers 26, 27 while a book 25 advances with the conveyor 40 and onto the upper stretch of a shorter second belt conveyor 49. The conveyors 40, 49 are driven by a motor 50 in such a way that the conveyor 49 travels faster in order to automatically increase the distance between a preceding book 25 and the next-following book.

The motor 50 is preferably of the variable speed type so that it can change the speed of the conveyors 40 and 49, if and when necessary, particularly when the jackets 15 on the books 25 abutting the stop 39 of FIG. 2 are not in accurate register with the respective covers 26, 27. The speed of the conveyor 40 changes proportionally with that of the conveyor 49 in response to each change or RPM of the motor 50.

A book 24 which is placed onto the conveyor 40 has been inspected by an attendant who determines whether or not the end papers 28, 29 adhere to the covers 26, 27. Such inspection is desirable in order to insure that a jacket is not destroyed or damaged during attachment to a defective book. If the book is satisfactory, its sheets 24 and end papers 28, 29 are introduced into the vertical gap between the inner guides 41, 42 whereby the belt conveyor 40 entrains the covers 26, 27 and advances the book onto the belt conveyor 49. The attendant can separate the end papers 28, 29 from the respective covers 26, 27 if the bond between the end paper 28 or 29 and the respective cover 26 or 27 can be destroyed without affecting the appearance and/or integrity of end papers and/or covers.

A blank 16 which has been removed from the stack 17 on the mobile platform 35 by one or more suction cups is deposited on the downwardly inclined upper stretch of a belt conveyor 51 so that the blank can advance toward a folding station 52. The platform 35 can descend automatically in response to removal of discrete blanks 16 or upon completed removal of several (e.g., five, six, seven or eight) blanks, depending on the thickness of blanks. All that counts is to insure that the uppermost blank 16 of the stack 17 can be reached by the suction cup or cups for transfer onto the belt conveyor 51. The means for lifting the platform 35 in stepwise fashion may comprise an intermittently rotated feed screw 35a or any other suitable lifting means.

A blank 16 which reaches the folding station 52 is treated as follows: Such blank rests on two timing belt conveyors 53 (FIGS. 2 and 3) which are advanced stepwise to move the jackets 15 toward a station 54 where the jackets are assembled with the books 25. The conveyors 53 have aligned entraining elements 5321 which locate successive blanks 16 in predetermined positions at the folding station 52 so that a blank at the station 52 is in an optimum position for the making of flaps 18, 19, i.e., for conversion into a jacket 15.

The folding instrumentalities at the station 52 include two blank guides 55, 56 (FIG. 3) which center the blanks 16 at the station 52, two fixed folding or creasing members 57, 58 above the upper stretches of the timing belts 53 and two mobile folding or creasing members 59, 60 which are respectively disposed between the guides 55, 56 and folding members 57, 58 and are movable between the positions shown for the folding member 60 in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. The folding instrumentalities further comprise two pressure plates 61, 62 which can be biased upwardly by springs 63 to urge the blank 16 against the respective fixed folding members 57, 58 during the making of flaps 16, 17. The means for moving the folding member 60 and the associated pressure plate 62 comprises a sleeve 64 (FIGS. 5-7) which surrounds a rod-like support 65 for the pressure plate 62, a piston rod 66 which carries the sleeve 64 and axially movably supports the support 65, a first link 67 which is articulately connected to the sleeve 64 and carries the folding member 60, and a second link 68 which is articulately connected with the link 67 and receives motion from a piston rod 69. The piston rods 66 and 69 are respectively movable by pneumatic cylinders 66a and 69:! (FIG. 3) whose operation is synchronized so that the folding member 60 can be moved from the inoperative or retracted position of FIG. 5, through the intermediate position of FIG. 6, and to the operative position of FIG. 7 to thereby provide a blank 16 with the flap 19. The mem- 6 her 60 is thereupon retracted to the position of FIG. 5 before the jacket 15 is advanced toward the assembly station 54. The operation of the folding member 59 and pressure plate 61 is analogous (see the cylinders 66b and 69b).

Each of the folding members 59, 60 has a groove 70 which receives the outermost portion of the associated folding member 57, 58 during creasing of a blank 16. The folding members 57, 58 are heated by heating units HE, and HE to thereby promote the formation of permanent creases between the central panel 20 and the flaps 18, 19, especially if the material of blanks 16 include layers of synthetic thermoplastic material.

It is clear that the heating units HE, and HE, (or analogous heating units) can be provided on or associated with the mobile folding members 59, 60. Furthermore, the apparatus may comprise a heating unit for each of the folding members 57-60. The arrangement of FIG. 3 is preferred at this time because the heating units HE and HE remain stationary.

Freshly formed flaps l8, 19 are thereupon caused to pass through a channel 73 (FIG. 8) which terminates short of the assembly station 54 so that the flaps 18, 19 are free to pivot to the positions shown for the flap 19 in FIG. 9. In such positions, the flaps are sufficiently spaced from the central panel 20 of a jacket 15 to allow for introduction of the respective covers 26, 27 at the station 54. The belt conveyors 51 and 53 are driven by a main motor 74 through the medium of a clutch 75 shown in FIG. 2.

The assembling of books 25 with jackets 15 takes place on a platform 76 (FIGS. 2 and 12) which is pivotable at 77 to permit a jacketed book to descend into the chute 38. The means for assembling includes two closing arms 78, 79 (FIGS. 10 and 11) having portions 78a, 79a which overlie the flaps 18, 19. The arms 78 and 79 are pivotable at 80, 81 to move the covers 26, 27 from the open positions of FIG. 10 to the partly closed positions of FIG. 11. The means for pivoting the arms 78, 79 comprises links 82, 83 which are attached to a crosshead 84 on the piston rod.85 of a pneumatic cylinder 86 in the frame 36.

The portions 78a, 79a of the closing arms 78, 79 have roller followers 78b, 79b which engage stationary cams 87, 88 when the arms 78, 79 assume the idle positions shown in FIG. 10. The extensions 78c, 790 of the portions 78a, 79a are then spaced apart from the adjacent flaps 18, 19 of a jacket 15 at the assembly station 54. Springs 89, 90 respectively bias the portions 78a, 79a in directions indicated by arrows 91, 92 so as to move the extensions 78c, 79c flush against the flaps 18, 19 (FIG. 11) when the roller followers 78b, 79b are disengaged from the earns 87, 88. The portions 78a, 79a are adjustable with respect to the main portions of the respective arms 78, 79 so that these arms can be used for the closing of covers of smaller or largerbooks. As shown in the right-hand portion of FIG. 10, the main portion of the closing arm 78 has several tapped bores 93 for screws or analogous fasteners 94 which can secure the portion 78a in a desired position at a selected distance from the pivot 80. The adjustable mounting of portion 79a on the main portion of the closing arm 79 is analogous.

The platform 76 is pivotable by the piston rod 95 of a pneumatic cylinder 96 shown in FIG. 12.

The free end papers 28, 29 of the books 25 are inspected on a table or platform 97 (FIG. 2) whose upper side is flush with the upper stretch of the belt conveyor 

1. A method of applying jackets to the covers of books, comprising the steps of converting successive sheet-like blanks into jackets each of which includes a central panel and two flaps flanking the panel; moving successive jackets to an assembly station along a first path; opening successive books so that their covers are spaced apart from the leaves; moving the thus opened books to said assembly station along a second path so that portions of the covers of a book enter between the panel and the flaps of a jacket at said station; and closing the book so that the flaps of the respective jacket are located between the covers and leaves of the thus jacketed book.
 2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the jackets moving along said first path to advance counter to the direction of movement of books along said second path.
 3. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the steps of visually inspecting each book prior to introduction into said second path, said inspecting step comprising determining whether or not the end papers flanking the leaves adhere to the respective covers and introducing into said second path only those books wherein the end papers do not adhere to the covers.
 4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said first moving step comprises maintaining the panels of jackets in a substantially horizontal plane during travel along said first path and said second moving step comprises maintaining the covers of books in a substantially horizontal plane during travel along said second path.
 5. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of moving jacketed books along a third path, including maintaining the jacketed books in a substantially vertical plane.
 6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said converting step comprises heating the blanks in the regions where the flaps adhere to the respective central panels.
 7. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of monitoring one of said paths for the presence or absence of jackets or books in said one path, and interrupting the movement of books or jackets along the other of said paths in response to detected absence of jackets or books in said one path.
 8. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of maintaining the flaps in a predetermined orientation with respect to the corresponding central panels at said assembly station.
 9. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the steps of maintaining successive jacketed books in an upright position, moving successive jacketed books from the level of said assembly station to a level therebelow, and thereupon moving the jacketed books sideways.
 10. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said closing step comprises simultaneously pivoting the covers toward the respective leaves.
 11. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of shifting the jackets of successive jacketed books when the central panel of a jacket exposes portions of the respective covers.
 12. A method as defined in claim 11, wherein said shifting step comprises locating successive jacketed books in a substantially vertical plane and moving the books edgewise against a stop to thereby shift the jackets relative to the respective covers or vice versa.
 13. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said blanks are rectangular and said converting step comprises simultaneously folding two parallel marginal portions of a blank over the median portion of such blank whereby said marginal portions constitute the flaps and the median portion constitutes the panel of the resulting jacket.
 14. Apparatus for jacketing books, comprising a source of sheet-like deformable blanks; means for withdrawing blanks from said source; means for converting successive withdrawn blanks into jackets wherein a central panel is flanked by two flaps; means for feeding successive jackets to an assembly station; means for transporting to said station successive books iN such position that the covers of a book arriving at said station are spaced apart from the leaves and enter between the flaps and the panel of a jacket at said station; and means for closing the covers of a book at said station so that the flaps of the respective jacket are located between the covers and leaves of the thus jacketed book.
 15. Apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said feeding means includes at least one first conveyor for moving jackets to said station in a first direction and said transporting means comprises at least one second conveyor for moving books to said station in a second direction counter to said first direction.
 16. Apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said converting means includes means for heating the blanks in regions where the flaps adhere to the respective panels.
 17. Apparatus as defined in claim 14, further comprising means for interrupting the operation of said feeding means in the absence of books on said transporting means.
 18. Apparatus as defined in claim 14, further comprising means for interrupting the operation of said transporting means in the absence of jackets on said feeding means.
 19. Apparatus as defined in claim 14, further comprising means for evacuating jacketed books from said assembly station.
 20. Apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein said evacuating means comprises a platform on which the books and jackets rest at said assembly station, said platform being movable between a substantially horizontal and an inclined position, and means for moving said platform between said positions whereby a jacketed book slides off said platform when the latter assumes said inclined position.
 21. Apparatus as defined in claim 20, wherein said evacuating means further comprises a chute which receives jacketed books sliding off said platform.
 22. Apparatus as defined in claim 21, further comprising means for removing jacketed books from said chute.
 23. Apparatus as defined in claim 20, further comprising conveyor means positioned to receive jacketed books sliding off said platform.
 24. Apparatus as defined in claim 14, further comprising means for moving the jackets of jacketed books into exact register with the respective covers.
 25. Apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said transporting means comprises a plurality of successive conveyors and means for driving said conveyors at different speeds so that the speed of a book leaving a preceding conveyor increases when the book reaches the next-following conveyor.
 26. Apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said withdrawing means comprises a first conveyor arranged to transport successive blanks into the range of said converting means and said feeding means comprises at least one second conveyor for moving successive jackets from said converting means to said assembly station.
 27. Apparatus as defined in claim 14, further comprising adjustable guide means adjacent to the paths of movement of jackets and books to said assembly station.
 28. Apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said converting means comprises cooperating stationary and mobile folding members for blanks and means for moving said mobile folding members with respect to the associated stationary folding members.
 29. Apparatus as defined in claim 14, further comprising means for maintaining the flaps of blanks on said feeding means in a predetermined orientation with respect to the corresponding central panels.
 30. Apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said closing means comprises a pair of arms movable at said station from first positions in which said arms support a jacket and the covers of a book, with the covers spaced apart from the respective leaves, to second positions whereby said arms pivot the covers against the respective leaves.
 31. Apparatus as defined in claim 14, further comprising a book inspecting station located immediately ahead of said transporting means so that a book which has been manualLy inspected at said inspecting station and has been found to be satisfactory can be placed by hand onto said transporting means.
 32. Apparatus as defined in claim 14, further comprising pneumatic means for temporarily holding jackets during assembly with books at said station.
 33. Apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said feeding means and said transporting means define substantially horizontal paths for the jackets and book covers.
 34. Apparatus as defined in claim 33, further comprising means for maintaining the leaves of books on said transporting means in a substantially vertical plane.
 35. Apparatus as defined in claim 14, further comprising means for evacuating jacketed books sideways with respect to said assembly station.
 36. Apparatus as defined in claim 14, further comprising means for cyclically operating said withdrawing, converting, feeding, transporting and closing means in a predetermined sequence. 